Evolution of a Queen

20 Quesions

James’s POV

“Princess, what happened?” I walk up to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

She jumps in surprise and quickly wipes her tears, “Prince James, I wasn’t expecting your dinner to be finished so quickly. Are you ready for our walk?” She smiled cheerfully while turning away from me. 

“I want to know why you were crying. Is it because you didn’t eat? Let’s go to the kitchens then-”

“No!” She interrupts me then quickly covers her mouth, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I had enough food at dinner tonight. I don’t need any more food. Please follow me. The gardens are this way.”

I keep quiet as I follow her a few doors down the hall. I could tell she was trying desperately not to let her secret go. I observed her through. She was wearing a long-sleeved dress even though it was pretty warm outside. She was hunched over as if in pain also though she was trying to walk straight. She had makeup on her neck because it was rubbing off on her dress. She kept the cheek she was clutching turned away from me like she didn’t want me to see it. 

“Would you like to walk around while talking or sit in one of the gazebos?” her voice roused me from my thoughts.

“Let’s walk around while I ask you some questions.” I smile gently down at her.

“Ok,” She nervously played with her sleeves, “What questions do you have to ask me?”

“What’s your favorite color?” I decided to start easy.

“Purple, and yours?”

“Sunset orange. What’s your favorite memory?”

Princess Lilly laughs, “What is this, twenty questions?”

I smile down at her and loop her arm through mine, “I guess this is. I want to get to know you better.” Princess Lilly smiled a little when I said that.

“My favorite memory,” She began, “Was when I met Prince Nathan for the first time. Seriah was so happy introducing him to me. She’s going to be extremely happy with him. What’s your favorite memory, Prince James?”

“Please just call me James. I don’t want my friends or potential wife to call me Prince,” I grimace.

Princess Lilly laughs, “Ok, but only if you just call me Lilly.”

“Deal,” We shake hands and start laughing, “Now my favorite memory was when I was ten. My father asked what I wanted to do for my birthday and I wanted to take a bath with snakes. Surprisingly he let me. It was the first time I was able to do something for my birthday that seemed almost normal.”

Lilly giggled, “I’m sorry to inform you, your majesty, but bathing with snakes is far from normal.”

I laugh with her, “That may be so, but it made me feel normal.”

“Have you done anything that crazy for your birthday recently?”

I shake my head at her, “It’s my turn to ask the question, remember?” Lilly just rolls her eyes and motions for me to continue. “Now, what do I want to know about the girl named Lilly?” She laughs at this, “If you could do anything in the world, what would you do?”

“I would travel the world,” Lilly answers immediately, “I’ve never been outside the castle walls. I want to see the world and experience different cultures. Seriah was telling me about her trip to the New Republic of France and how romantic it was to stroll the streets with Prince Nathan. I want to have the opportunity to do that as well,” she suddenly blushes, “Sorry I didn’t mean to overshare. What would you like to do if you could do anything you wanted?”

I look down at her. She wasn’t trying to hide her cheek anymore, and I could see a handprint there. I shake my head and look up at the sky, “I would stroll through this garden with you every night because I like listening to you talk normally. When it’s just us out here, you have been more open than you had been all day.”

 She blushes, “There’s got to be something else you would like to do other than talk to me. We just met today, so how can your only dream be talking to me?”

I sigh, “I find you intriguing. I know everything the public knows about you, and that’s hardly anything. You’re called the mystery princess for a reason. Everyone wants to get to know you. I will have the opportunity of knowing you first. Now I’m going to get down to the nitty-gritty questions. Who is next in line for the throne since you and Princess Seriah are twins.”

“Seriah is the next in line. Father has been training her all her life to be Queen.”

“What about you?”

Lilly shook her head at me, “It’s my turn to ask the question, remember?”

I was frustrated that she evaded my question, but she threw my words back in my face so I couldn’t say anything against her. “What do you want to know?”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“I am the oldest of five. There’s me, then Noah, he’s sixteen, Samual is fourteen, Caleb is ten, and Rachel is five. Everyone dotes on Rachel,” I smile while thinking of my baby sister.

“It must be hard for your family with you being over here and not with them.”

I shrug, “My father sent me here because he wants me to find a wife before I become king next year, so my family has accepted the fact that I’ll be here for a while. Now answer my question from earlier. Were you trained to be Queen as well?”

She was silent for a while, “I never had an interest in ruling this kingdom. My mom taught me what she could, but other than that, I never had any official training for the throne. When Seriah gets married, this kingdom will be handed over to her and Prince Nathan.”

We were silent for a while. I enjoyed watching Lilly’s joyful expression as she looked at the flowers. Her eyes would light up as we passed by fairy lights that lit up a bush of flowers. She enjoyed just walking around, looking at the plants more than she enjoyed talking about herself. Every once in a while, however, she would cringe in pain and clutch at her stomach. 

“Lilly I have something I need to say to you,” I grab her shoulders and turn her towards me.

“What is it, James?” She looked nervous.

“I’m sure Princess Seriah has already told you this, but I will tell you myself. I was sent here to bring back a wife. My father wants to make his claim on this country stronger through marriage. Princess Seriah already has a future husband. That means that you will be my wife one day,” I look at her apologetically, “I know we only just met, but I will make sure to treat you well, and I will make all your dreams come true, I promise.”

Lilly takes my hands in hers, “I figured that was the case when Seriah told me she was already engaged but is there no other way? My father won’t be happy about this.”

I smile at her, “There is no other way. My father wanted me to marry someone from your country. I will fulfill my duty as a future King. Even before I met Princess Seriah, I knew I wouldn’t marry her. I intend to inform your parents in the morning of my decision. I wanted to tell you beforehand so that you can know that we don’t have to look at this as an arranged marriage.”

“Tell them if you must, but you can’t tell my father about Prince Nathan whatever you do,” Lilly looked desperate, “Seriah kept their relationship a secret, so he doesn’t know about it. He won’t officially propose to her until Christmas Eve. Seriah planned on him proposing then because she wanted us to be together, and she wanted my father to know that she was taken.”

I gently stroke her hair behind her ear, “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything about your sister’s Prince. Now let’s get you back inside before you catch a cold.”

She laughs a little and leads the way back to the door. She had a nervous smile on her face every time she looked at me. I was pretty sure I had some goofy grin on my face. I don’t know what it was about Lilly, but I enjoyed being in her company more than Princess Seriah’s. When she wasn’t guarding her words or her father wasn’t watching everything she did, Lilly was a bubbly person who I enjoyed being around. I just met her and yet I wanted to take her back to my country already.

I frowned at myself. I couldn’t take Lilly back until I knew what was going on. Lilly may look like she was enjoying herself, but her eyes were still dull. I needed to know what her father was doing to her.

“Lilly,” we were almost to her room when I stopped her, “What did your sister mean when she said that your relationship with your father was complicated? Has he done something in the past that now you two don’t get along?”

Lilly stiffened, “My father and I just don’t agree on most things. He feels we don’t get along because of my actions. He does what he thinks is best for me and makes me a better person,” she had a bitter smile on her face before it faded and she turned towards me entirely, “Thank you for the walk around the gardens. I enjoyed myself. This is my room, James. Have a goodnight.”

I returned her well wishes and watched her enter her room while contemplating what she said. I turn around and walk back to my room. I was excited for breakfast so that I could announce my chosen wife.